Dinner on the Susquahanna River - WW

Jakes and I had dinner on the Susquahanna River last Friday night.

Time is Flying

Did you know there is life outside of a computer?  For a long time, I didn't!  And that's when I blogged everyday and read SO many wonderful bloggers.  I just don't have the organizational skills to be able to work full-time, enjoy life outside of the computer AND blog.  WOW, who knew?

Anyway, a quick update.....

Jakes is doing well.  He got a VERY good report card AND was outlining things he's going to do to improve those grades as well.  I checked with him to see if the things he's struggling with should be addressed with the child study team or if its just things he has to work on himself.  He thinks its just him and he wants to work on it on his own.  Good deal!  He knows to let me or his dad know if there is a need to involve the CST.  I am so proud that he's taking the initiative to work on things without me or his dad having to fight with him over it.

The Scentsy business is going well also!  I got a promotion!  And have had several very successful parties!  I just closed out a basket party yesterday.  It was so much fun!

There are lots of new products out, like the Layers Fragrance line.  There are wonderful bath and shower products as well a lotions and body butters.  Even products to help with your laundry smell nice!  In May there will be a completely NEW line of products that I am going to be TOTALLY addicted to!  YUM!  I can't wait to get my new products to see what its all about!

Jakes told me that his father is getting remarried at the end of April.  I kinda created a little drama for myself over that news.  Not that I want him back in ANY WAY EVER.  I am a guess the best way to put it is, disappointed in myself because I haven't moved on.   I feel as though he's "won" the break-up because he has been in a relationship with this woman for quite a time now and has moved on enough to be ready to marry her.  Me?  I haven't really had a relationship since the break up and still live with my parents (sort of).  For many years after the break-up, I played the victim and then devoted myself to Jakes and his issues.  What do I have to show for it?  Nothing.  A child who doesn't live with me and a good friendship with AZ.

Dad and ESM are heading to Harpers Ferry this weekend.  Its looking like lovely weather for the trip.  I know they will have fun!  In May, they will be taking the camper and Kathy to FL for a visit with Kathy's daughter.  Mel (another compound resident) and I both said "PARTY!" when we heard they were leaving.  HA!  Kathy wasn't as amused.

AZ has been fishing and job hunting.  Not much luck for either.  I was SO hoping for fish for dinner last night.  sigh.  Had to settle for steak instead.  AZ cooked dinner and cleaned up!  WOW!  I could get used to being spoiled like that!

Neicy and I went for a bike ride yesterday instead of a run.  We both commented how easy riding the bikes seemed to be.  Of course, because we have conditioned ourselves with training for the 5k.  We were talking about running and on the opposite days riding the bikes, just to be doing something each day of the week.  We'll see how that works out with life intruding.

Well, that's the quick update.  Time to write the grants.  Need Money!

Mother's Day is Coming

Mother's Day is coming and Scentsy has a Beautiful warmer with beautiful Mom's in mind.

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April's Scent of the Month is Cerise.  Walk along a charming Paris side street, where a slight breezse makes the cherry trees - cerisers - shower you with pink sugar petals.  Cerise is an embrace of cherry blossom, fresh plum and soft white blooms warmed by golden vanilla.

For the Month of April, you can save 10% on each of these items!  Visit my online website for more details.



Running

Saturday was the BIG day.  The 5k I've been training for since February.  The day dawned sunny and windy with a little chill in the air.  Once we got moving the chill helped.

Jakes was cold while we waited for the start.

I gave the camera to Jakes for still pictures but he thought it would be better to get videos.

We warmed up and started out.  It was a lovely run through a path over the dunes and the marsh.  We did make it into town for a portion of the run. I started out running and quickly moved to walking.  I wasn't trained enough for this event. 

I finally got to the last mile or so and gained a partner.  He had already finished and came back to pace and encourage other runners.  He was a big help!  I thought I was the last runner in the pack but with my Pacer's help, I was able to find the strength to pass two others.  YAY! 

My final time was 40:40.  (See a pattern forming?)  I was 7th out of 10 in my age group and I was NOT the last runner coming in. 

Neicy, who is much better trained and has competed in numerous other races had a final time of 30:31.  I was only about 10 minutes behind her. She finished 41 out of 105 people and I finished 71 out of 105. I'm impressed with myself!  She placed 2nd out of 9 in her age group.  Way to go Neicy!  Next time I'll be right there with you!

And for those of you who want to see something scary:

I did it!

Birthday Celebration

My Compound family and I went to the Cheesecake Factory for my birthday dinner.  That would have been wonderful enough, just celebrating and sharing the good times together.  But Daddy had other ideas.  When his youngest sister turned 40, they messed with her a bit.  Daddy liked it so much, he got everyone in to mess with me. 

It started with this but wrapped up:



Daddy got into the spirit of things and handed each present to me in a particular order.

There are 40 presents in there.  All 40 items are silly things like rubber bands, envelopes, crackers, you get the picture.

All of the things contained 40.  So there were 40 rubber bands, 40 envelopes, and 40 crackers.  Even 40 pieces of toilet paper!  That's going in AZ's truck for a fishing emergency.

Eventually, I got to the end of the 40 presents and Daddy presented me with the final one.  It was wrapped REALLY tight with lots of tape!  Thanks, ESM.  Can you guess what it contained?  40 one dollar bills!  Woo ho!  Pay day!

Then it was time for desert.

Cheesecake of course!

Jakes asked the wait staff to sing to me and they wrote on my plate.  YUMMY!

I have to tell you, turning 40 was so much fun!



Hope

Such a short word. Such a powerful word. Such a hard thing to believe in.

I consider myself an optimistic person, I try to see the good in any situation. Yes, I may wallow for a bit, but that's normal.  You have to take time to process things and see which way is up.

With all that I've been through in my 30's, I have very high hopes that my 40's and later will be a wonderful time in my life.  I've learned so much in my past, I don't want to say it was worth it, but how else will you learn?  By living with the good and living through the bad.

I will continue to live with hope.  Hope for a good life and hope for the strength to live through the bad.

April is Autism Awareness Month

I'm sure you can change "Autism" to any other disability and it will be true!